Water motor supporting float



April 1941- N. J. SCHLACHTER 2,239,740

WATER MOTOR SUPPORTING FLOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 16. 1959 gnaw/whom & I Q1 llJg filackier April 29, 1941. SCHLACHTER 2,239,740

WATER MOTOR SUPPORTING FLOAT Filed May 16. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r I g T E /a 1 2 id! r' I @3143 I;

Stream;

-66 of Figure :2.

Patented Apr. 29, 1941 ITIE D S TATE S PAT T *QZFiF 1 CEE 'WATER MOTOR SUPRORTING' MOAT .Nicholas J. Schlachter, 'Getty'sburg,"-S.Dak.

Application May 16, 1939, Serial No. 273,979

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvedmeans for supporting fa water wheel in a stream and pertains iparti'cularlyto a novel means 'fori'moving "the wheelinto working position in the stream.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide an improved float structure designed to carry a water wheeLby means of which,

together withcertain-tethering mechanism, the

supported w-ater wheel maybe moved out into the 'swift flowing part of a stream and arranged in such part of the stream in a position to obtain the maximumbenefit from the moving current.

ported water wheel.

'The invention will be'best understood from a consideration of the following-detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of thisspecification, with the understanding,' however, thatthe invention is .not to be confined to any strictconformity with the showingof the drawings but may be changed or modified so long-as such changes or-modifications mark no material departure from-the salient features of the invention as expressed in-the :ap-

v pended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows in top plan :a diagrammatic illustration of the structure em bodyingthepresent invention, showing the manner in which it is tethered .in a stream and indicating in =dotted .outline the starting position forthe float.

Figure 7 is asection-on the line l-lof Fig- ;ure6. c

Figure 38 ;is::a view illustrating diagrammatically the modified form of anchor post [controlling means. I

Referring .now more particularly to the drawings, the water wheel supporting float structure embodying the present invention comprises apair ofpont-oo-ns-l :which are disposed in spaced paral- -1el.relatiomasshown; and are coupled together at the *front andvrear ends ,by the transversely extending spaced beams 2. These pontoons and the ibeamszsecuring the same in spaced parallel relation may be iofrany desired'size according to the size of the water wheelstructure (not shown) which is to be supported'thereon but by way of illustrating relatively the-proportions of the parts making up thecstructureyit may-be stated that thepontoons mayhave an overall lengthof approximatelyrsixtyrfeet and a width each of approximately eight feet. These-two pontoonstrucitures are :held in spaced relation by the beams 2 which maybe approximately three by :twelve and twenty-eight feet long. The pontoons 'willfhave an open :area between them '01 approximately twelve feet.

As shown :in Figures 2 and 4, the "transverse connecting sbeams [project slightly at their ends beyond the outers'ides ofthe pontoons I and there secured between each-projecting pair of-beam ;ends,a vertical tubular post 3 which houses a vertically reciprocable sanchor post 4. As shown in .Figurefiyeachof the corner tubular posts 3 is closeda tits topand bottomends by plates Fand *6 :respectively, .these plates having suitable openingszthereinvi'or theextension of the anchor post therethroug'h.

One side face of each anchor post has fixed thereto the longitudinally extending rack 1 and extending transversely through the post and across the rack is a shaft8 which carries agear "pinion -fi'wh-ich meshes :with the adjacent rack, "thesh-aftiil having a crank 0 -by which it may be re 2 is a View 1111150!) p of thewa-terwheel rotated so :asr-to effect the verticalmovement of supporting float structure .embodying the present invention.

Figure 3 is a view int-side elev-ationof thesame.

Figure 4'is-a vview in end elevationshowing the projection of the anchoring posts to the tbott0m of the stream .bed.

Figure 5 is a section .onthe line .5--5 10f Fig- .ure.3.

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken-on the line ratchet gear until the post has been moved to the desired position.

The vertical corner posts are braced at their upper ends by the transverse beams l4 and the longitudinal beams I5, the adjoining ends of the transverse and longitudinal beams being suit-ably coupled together and secured to the posts, and as an additional bracing means corner or angle braces "5 are disposed between the tubular posts and the longitudinal side beams l5.

Secured to the forward end of the float structure is a horizontally disposed substantially V- shaped forwardly projecting frame l1, each leg of which is secured to a pontoon so that the apex of the frame will lie upon the longitudinal center of the float structure and at the-apex of this frame is an eye I8 to which may be attached an end of a tethering cable l9.

At the rear end of the float structure one of the pontoons carries a winch which is mounted for has secured thereto the vertically disposed slotted guide plates 24, in the slot of which is engaged a bolt 26, Figure 5, which bolt is headed, as shown, so as to prevent the guide plate from shifting away from the pontoon by permitting the plate and side board to move vertically.

Midway between the ends of the side board 23 there is mounted upon the adjacent pontoon a support 21 for a lifting tackle, indicated generally by the numeral 28, and the board 23 is provided with a suitable means such as an eye 29 for connection with the tackle so that when the latter is manipulated the board can be raised or lowered.

Figure 8 shows a modified form of means for raising and lowering the anchor posts 4. In this form of the invention the post has a cable 39 attached at one end to its upper end and a second cable 3| attached at one end to the lower end of the anchor post. Supported upon the outer side of the tubular guide post for the anchor post is a shaft 32 connected with the crank 33 and to this shaft the cables -3l are coupled in such a manner that when the crank is rota-ted in one direction, one cable will be wound up thereon, while the other is unwound and when reversely rota-ted the other cable will be wound up and the first unwound. By this means positive movement may be given to the anchor post 4 to force it downwardly into the earth in the bed of the stream or pull it up from the stream bed as may be desired.

N0 illustration has been made of the water motor in association with the present float structure for the reason that the invention relates entirely to the float and the manner of locating the same in a desirable position in the stream and any suitable type of water motor may be mounted thereon so that the blades may be extended down into the water between the pontoons.

In manipulating the water motor float so as to locate it in a desirable position in the stream, which is here generally designated S, the main cable or tether cable I9 is attached to a dead-man 34 on the bank of the stream. When the check cable has been slackened, the float will be carried in close to the bank of the stream in the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. When it is desired to move the float out into the swiftly moving part of the stream, the side board supporting tackle is slackened so as to drop the side board down into the water below the bottom of the adjacent pontoon, the side board carrying pontoon being nearest the stream bank. As the check cable is taken up slightly so as to pull the pontoons or float into an angular position in the stream, the current, flowing in the direction of the arrow, will strike the side board and move the float outwardly and upstream. When the float has been moved out to the desired position, one of the forward anchor posts is then extended downwardly until it engages the stream bed, so that the float will be held in the position to which it has moved. The check cable may then be taken up by the winch 20 so as to swing the float around the projected anchor post, until the float comes into the desired angular position in the stream where the force of the current will strike the water motor blades when lowered into the water, at an angle which will result in obtaining the maximum operation of the motor under the influence of the current against its blade. Under ordinary circumstances it is found that the best results are obtained by locating the float at approximately a 45 angle to the current. When this position is assumed the water of the stream will strike the motor blades and flow off therefrom at such an angle that the movement of the water will not be checked to any appreciable extent and the motor will be operated at its greatest efficiency.

After the float has been located at the desired angle the other anchor posts are lowered into the stream bed so as to firmly secure the float.

I claim:

1. A water motor supporting float and means for positioning the same in a stream, comprising a relatively long float body having a central open area for the extension into the stream of the lades of a water motor carried thereby, means extending forwardly from one end of the float body for attachment of a tether cable thereto, a tether cable attached at one end to said means and adapted to have its other end attached to a fixed point on the shore of the stream, a cable wind-up means carried by the float body adjacent the rear and at one side thereof, a check cable attached at one end to said wind-up means and having its other end connected with said tether cable, a board disposed upon one side of the float body, means connecting the board with the said side of the float body for effecting movement of the board vertically into and out of the stream below the bottom of the front body, and means at each side of the float body at the front and rear ends thereof for anchoring the float body in a stream.

2. A water motor supporting float, comprising a pair of relatively long pontoons disposed in spaced parallel relation, beam members extending transversely of the pontoons and securing the same in said relation, a vertically disposed tubular post secured to each end of each beam adjacent each end of each pontoon to extend upwardly from the beam, an anchor post extending through each tubular post and held for longitudinal movement therein, each of said anchor posts including a longitudinally extending rack gear, a pinion mounted in each tubular post and coupled with the adjacent rack gear, means for rotating the pinion, shiftable means for maintaining said pinion against accidental rotation, a cable coupled at one end with said pontoons at one end of the float, the other end of the cable being designed for connection to a fixed body upon the shore of a stream in which the float is located, a check cable connected at one end with said first cable, means upon the other end of the structure and adjacent one side thereof for winding up said check cable, a board disposed longitudinally of one side of one pontoon and supported for vertical movement, and means for eflecting the Vertical movement of the board for its extension into the stream below the bottom of the pontoon and its removal therefrom.

3. A water motor supporting float, comprising a .pair of relatively long pontoons disposed in spaced parallel relation, beam members extending transversely of the pontoons and securing the same in said relation, a vertically disposed tubular post secured adjacent each end of each pontoon, an anchor post extending through each tubular post and held for longitudinal movement therein, a shaft rotat'ably supported upon each tubular post, means for turning the shaft, a pair of cables each connected at one end to said shaft and one having its other end connected to the upper end of the adjacent anchor post and the other having its other end connected to the lower end of the anchor post, said shaft when rotated winding up one of said cables and unwinding the other, a cable coupled at one end with said pontoons at one end of the float, the other end of the cable being designed for connection to a fixed body upon the shore of a stream in which the float is located, a check cable connected at one end with said first cable, means upon the other end of the structure and adjacent one side thereof for winding up said check cable, a board disposed longitudinally of one side of onepontoon and supported for vertical movement, and means for eifeoting the vertical movement of the board.

4. A Water motor supporting float, comprising a pair of relatively long pontoons disposed in spaced parallel relation, a pair of relatively broad beams extending transversely of the tops of the pontoons each at one end of the float and secured to the pontoons, each of said beams extending at its ends beyond the outer sides of the pontoons, a vertically disposed tubular post secured to the extended end of each beam and opening downwardly through the beam, an anchor post extending through each tubular post and supported for longitudinal movement therein, each of said anchor post-s including an integral longitudinally extending rack gear, a pinion housed within each tubular post for rotation therein and having toothed connection with the adjacent rack gear,

means for rotating said pinions, a pair of spring pressed pawls adjacent each of said pinion-s and each having a portion extended through a wall of the adjacent post for manipulation from the exterior of the post, said pawls being upon opposite sides of the pinions for yieldingly holding the pinions against rotation, cable means coupled with the float facilitating tethering the float in a stream in spaced relation with the shore, a board disposed longitudinally of the outer side of one pontoon, and means coupling said board with the adjacent pontoon facilitating raising and lowering the board in the stream, said means facilitating the extension of the board into the stream below the bottom of the adjacent pontoon.

NICHOLAS J. SCHLACI-ITER. 

